Playing for the Prize

Ingenuity, subtlety, virtuosity, even heroism are traits necessary in becoming a world-class musician. Hear them applied by Heather Hinton, Peter Krasinski, John Schwandt, Justin Bischof, and Ann Elise Smoot, all winners of American Guild of Organists national competitions. I captured them ‘on the spot’ in Denver, showing us the way through music of many moods: fast and sinister, prayerful, and heroic. It’s amazing what the youngsters are up to these days and there’s no stopping them. Tune in and hear them Playing for the Prize, this week on Pipedreams.

All performers were recorded during the 1998 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists in Denver. Schwandt, Krasinski and Bischof were finalists in an Improvisation Competition; Smoot in 1998 and Hinton in 1996 were AGO National Young Artist Competition winners. Compact discs by Justin Bischof are released by Ethereal Recordings; a new album by Ann Elise Smoot is available from JAV Recordings